Design and the FUE hair transplant
Designing hair
– Nature is our inspiration
Performing a hair transplant is as much about craftsmanship and design as it is about microsurgery. Each case is different and a successful result depends on the patient’s demands and wishes, and they are being understood and carried out by the doctor. Therefore the surgeon has to be not only a skilled surgeon but an artist with a sense of design as well. The Ilter Clinic specializes in customizing individual solutions. Despite no hair transplantation being like another, we strive to attain a result that is unique, and natural every time.
FUE IM hits the right angle
Hairlines follow nature’s rules
The FUE Ilter Method (FUE IM) is especially successful in designing hairlines and aesthetic hair design, which can often make or break a transplant procedure. Several issues need to be addressed during the design phase. Because our patients are awake through the whole procedure, we make sure they are involved in designing their hairline every step of the way. A hair transplant is permanent. Trying to change the design later can be difficult and expensive. A surgeon must take advantage of the particularities of a patient’s hair to create a natural look.
Your hairline forms the most visible part of your head and is what another person sees when talking to you. This hair frames and softens your face and can give you a more youthful appearance.
One of the most important cosmetic factors in successful hair transplantation is the transplanted hairline. A natural hairline is far from a straight line, it has irregularities and the hairs grow at different angles. Using the FUE Ilter Method (FUE IM) and its microscopic division of natural hair follicle groups, more grafts can be transplanted thanks to the extremely fine instruments.
The design process
Hair color, follicular structure and skin color have great impact on the overall results of a hair transplant and must be taken into consideration during the design process.
The design goal is to forge a balance between density and diffusion in the recipient area. The proper balance will achieve a look that blends naturally with the rest of your head and face. Hairlines are never straight by nature. In fact they are always slightly irregular. Our grafts are carefully transplanted according to the hair’s natural direction of growth. We imitate natural hair by paying close attention to hair direction as we match the transplants to the original hair density. Also, the hairline for men usually peaks up, while it is more circular for women. We strive for symmetry, but we know that perfect symmetry looks unnatural and therefore aim for the golden ratio when we set the hairline. The angle of the inserted graft is also an important factor. With FUE IM we set every graft individually. It is extremely important that all incisions are made at the correct angle, depth and density.
The angle and direction of the hair is vital in achieving this goal. The hair’s natural three-dimensional pattern of growth must be considered so that the transplanted area consistently follows the original hair pattern down to the very last detail.
“The more you angle the grafts, the fewer grafts are needed to make an area look dense. Since it is easier to control the angle of the grafts, it is in favor of the patient if the doctor uses lateral slits.” – says MD Ilter. These factors play a pivotal role in the design and cosmetic result of hair transplantation. For the final appearance, it is a matter of cooperation between the surgeon and the patient. We are not satisfied until you are.
FUE IM and density
There is a concern among patients that FUE cannot really achieve great density. On the contrary, with microsurgical tools, density can be maximized because grafts can be placed closer together. This is called “dense packing.” The total number of grafts available for transplant depends on the density of hair in the donor area. The Ilter Clinic consistently places 60 grafts per square cm (equal to about 120 hairs) from the average hair density observed in our Scandinavian patients.
Planning for the future. If one of the most important challenges is to obtain a natural result, the other is to have a sustainable plan for the future. Consider a scenario involving transplanting 5,000 follicular units with dense packing around the hairline. Mathematically, we will have a 4cm belt with very high density. It may look impressive today, but the question is what happens when the patient lives longer and hair loss continues. We will have a very thick patch in the front, but not enough hair in the back to match the density. This is why a plan for the future is essential to ensuring a patient can have a natural look for the rest of his or her life.
